TOKYO: Oil prices slid on Friday dragged down by concerns that a spike in COVID-19 cases in Europe and the United States is curtailing demand in two of the world’s biggest fuel consuming regions, while a stronger U.S. dollar also added to pressure.
Brent crude futures for December dropped 44 cents, or 1.0%, to $42.72 a barrel by 0437 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures for November delivery slid 40 cents, or 1.0%, to $40.56 a barrel.
Both benchmarks fell slightly the previous day and are on track to remain little changed for the week.
“Worries over weakening fuel demand in Europe due to a resurgence in COVID-19 cases and a higher U.S. dollar against the euro weighed on investor sentiment,” said Kazuhiko Saito, chief analyst at Fujitomi Co.
In Europe, some countries were reviving curfews and lockdowns to fight a surge in new coronavirus cases, with Britain imposing tougher COVID-19 restrictions in London on Friday.
Pandemic cases have surged in the U.S. Midwest and beyond, with new infections and hospitalisations rising to record levels in an ominous sign of a nationwide resurgence as temperatures get colder.
The dollar was headed for its best week of the month on Friday, as surging coronavirus cases and stalled progress toward U.S. stimulus had nervous investors seeking safe assets.
A technical committee of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allied oil producers, a group know as OPEC+, also ended a meeting on Thursday expressing concerns about rising oil supply as social restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19 limit fuel usage.
“All eyes are on OPEC+ move from January,” said Hiroyuki Kikukawa, general manager of research at Nissan Securities.
OPEC+ is set to reduce its current supply cuts of 7.7 million barrels per day (bpd) by 2 million bpd in January even as OPEC Secretary General Mohammed Barkindo admits fuel demand is looking “anaemic”.
The bearish demand outlook and rising supply from Libya may mean OPEC+ could roll over the existing cuts into next year, OPEC+ sources said on Thursday.
There is an OPEC+ meeting scheduled for Nov. 30 to Dec. 1 to set policy.
“With uncertainty over OPEC+ future policy and the U.S. presidential election, oil prices will likely remain in a tight range for a while,” Kikukawa said.
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